BMW HP2 Sport. February 2009
It is the fastest, sportiest and lightest Boxer engined sport bike yet, and it is ready for the road or track. The HP2 Sport follows in the wake of the launch of the HP2 Enduro (2005) and HP2 Megamoto (2007).
The HP2 Sport is aimed at purist sports riders and is equipped with many racetrack derived features proven in endurance racing. Some parts, such as the race shift for the close ratio gearbox, forged alloy wheels and MotoGP inspired dashboard are making their first appearance in a BMW series production machine. The HP2 Sport will deliver thoroughbred sports riding on winding country roads as much as on race tracks. The highly tuned Boxer engine delivers in excess of 96kW at 8,750 rpm, even more than the R 1200 S launched in 2006. Peak torque is 115Nm at 6,000 rpm, while the power doesn't taper until it reaches the red line at 9,500 rpm, making the HP2 Sport the highest revving Boxer ever. Essentially, the HP2 Sport is based on the BMW R 1200 S but there are significant mechanical differences, along with a new, race ready composite carbon fibre body, race wheels and optional switchable ABS.
Externally the engine changes are announced via new carbon cylinder head covers fitted with easy to replace slip pads made from PA6 hard plastic, an indication of the expected hard cranked over cornering riding style. A new stainless steel exhaust system is placed below the engine for the first time, while the silencer is of a particularly striking design. The re-routed two-into-one pipes keep the underside of the bike clear giving even more clearance for heavily banked high speed cornering. Designed to thrill performance riders, the HP2 Sport comes with a new BMW feature, a race shift that incorporates advanced electronic control to allow the quickest possible gearshifts.
The standard setting is for the rider to use the gear shifter only, to move up the gearbox. By keeping the throttle open and ignoring the clutch lever, the rider can simply shift up with his foot. The benefit is quicker shifting and thus faster acceleration. Sophisticated electronics automatically sense the up shift motion from the shifter and cut the ignition momentarily allowing the shift to take place when the engine is not under load. If the rider uses the clutch lever a traditional clutched up-change is affected. The default mode is race shift for switching between the six close ratio cogs. This is the first time BMW has offered a race shift for a series production model. The instrument cluster is all digital and is based on a MotoGP set-up, delivering the traditional speed and rev information along with useful race data such as lap times, etc.
